Chapter Fifty-Three: The Trusted Confidant of Lord Lu

The next day, Meng Di followed Yang Hu into the palace to pay respects to the Marquis of Lu.

The Marquis's residence stood in the southwest corner of the city of Lu—a striking display of ancient simplicity and grandeur, its palaces towering and lavish. As they passed through the palace gates, Yang Hu made no effort to conceal the fervor in his eyes.

At the entrance, the chief ceremonial officer of the Office of Travelers, Liuxia Ji, waited to receive them, but Yang Hu brushed him aside with a wave of his sleeve, forcing him to follow meekly behind.

Ji Song, the Marquis of Lu, was a man of unremarkable appearance, his face creased with wrinkles. Though not yet forty, he already looked like a prematurely aged man, bearing an expression of long-standing sorrow and hardship.

Ji Song had been on the throne for just over a year. Not only did he look pitiable, but his circumstances were equally so. The head of the Ji clan, Ji Pingzi, aware that his days were numbered and unable to hold the reins of power, had elevated Ji Song—a previously unknown scion of the Song house—to the throne, solely because he was honest and easily controlled.

Once the heads of the Three Huan clans passed away in quick succession, Ji Song finally breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he might at last enjoy the pleasures of being a sovereign. But then Yang Hu, an even more domineering powerbroker, emerged.

Yang Hu had risen from humble beginnings and was nothing if not pragmatic, unlike Ji Pingzi, who at least maintained a semblance of royal dignity.

Ji Song often sighed, thinking he had been freer as a mere prince.

The ceremony of audience was brief—there was no other choice, as Yang Hu was already growing impatient.

“Meng Di, descendant of the Meng clan, has rendered meritorious service by eradicating the bandit Zhi. He is hereby appointed Lord of Mengyi.”

Afterward, Liuxia Ji read aloud the contents of the investiture on behalf of the court. Meng Di accepted the honor with due ceremony. Whether the title of “lord” was substantial or not, he had now gained official status among the feudal lords of the Central Plains.

Outside the hall, beneath the layered eaves, a flock of wild geese crossed a patch of exposed sky. Remembering the Marquis's numbed expression, Meng Di sighed softly. A man so easily manipulated was no better than a bird caged within its gilded prison—perhaps even less so.

“Master Liuxia, you must make sure to cultivate a good relationship with Lord Meng!” Yang Hu’s hearty laughter rang out beside him.

“Yes, I will call on you especially soon, if Lord Meng is available?” Liuxia Ji replied awkwardly.

Meng Di did not understand the underlying meaning but, seeing neither man inclined to explain, simply agreed.

A war chariot with four horses awaited at the palace gate. Yang Hu climbed aboard first, while Meng Di took his place to the right.

Suddenly, Yang Hu seemed to recall something. He turned to Meng Di and said, “I see you have no carriage of your own. Why not accept this war chariot and its driver as my gift?”

“Thank you, Lord Yang, but I am not accustomed to riding in war chariots. A horse will suffice.” Meng Di knew he was a bit unconventional, but it was better to accept as few favors as possible in such trifling matters. Besides, people of Lu were aware that in the lands of Wu and Yue, chariots were scarce—so his refusal was justifiable.

Meng Yi now had only a few dozen households, and a thousand more would need to be relocated from neighboring areas. This, Yang Hu remarked, was something Meng Di would have to manage himself.

Meng Yi lay near the northern border of Feiyi, and to fill its population, settlers would have to be drawn from nearby regions. Feiyi, however, was the fief of the Ji clan and currently administered by Lord Gongshan Buyou.

Was this merely a half-hearted gesture of goodwill, or was Yang Hu using Meng Di as a tool against Gongshan Buyou, having no control over Feiyi himself? Meng Di could not immediately determine which.

Back at the guest house, Meng Di discussed the matter at length with Ji Ran, but to no avail. Since the issue involved the internal power struggles of the Ji clan, outsiders could only guess. In the end, it was best to wait until they reached Meng Yi and act according to circumstances.

At this moment, a messenger reported that Lord Liuxia Ji had come to visit.

“Please, show him in.”

“Lord Meng, I have heard that you were attacked by Zhi outside Teng City. Is this true?” Liuxia Ji bowed deeply as he entered.

“Yes,” Meng Di replied, recalling that both men shared the surname Liuxia, which immediately aroused his curiosity.

“My younger brother offended you, Lord Meng. I am truly ashamed and beg your forgiveness.”

“You are brothers?” Meng Di was astonished. Liuxia Zhi was rugged and burly, while the man before him was the very picture of refinement. They hardly seemed related.

It turned out that Liuxia Zhi was the son of their father’s liaison with a tribal woman during a campaign. The Liuxia family was small, with only these two sons grown to adulthood in this generation, so their father had brought Zhi home.

Having grown up in the mountains, Zhi was wild and untamable. After their father’s death, unable to endure the mockery of the clan, he became an outlaw, living a free and unrestrained life.

“One brother serves as a court official, the other as a bandit—quite remarkable,” Meng Di said with a smile.

Liuxia Ji flushed. He had heard such comments often and had long since resigned himself to them.

He had once been close to Ji Song, and when Ji Song became Marquis, he wanted trusted men around him. Most court positions, however, were monopolized by the Three Huan clans or Yang Hu. After much effort, he had secured the relatively idle role of chief ceremonial officer.

So he was, in fact, the Marquis’s true confidant—Meng Di understood now.

“Lord Meng, do you know what has become of my brother…?” Liuxia Ji asked hesitantly after a long pause.

“He is alive, for now,” Meng Di replied with a frown. "But do you know how many people in Lu wish for his head?”

“As long as he is alive, I am grateful!” Liuxia Ji’s face brightened. “Lord Meng, may I ransom him back?”

Ransoming prisoners was common practice at the time, and Lu was no exception.

“Ransom him? So he can return to banditry? And if he remains in the country, can you guarantee his safety?” Meng Di saw now that Liuxia Ji was an unremarkable man, who owed his position only to personal connections. Perhaps it was precisely his lack of ability that reassured Yang Hu and the others, allowing him to remain at the Marquis’s side.

“Well… well… our ancestor’s reputation is great. Perhaps, for his sake, they will spare my brother.” Liuxia Ji’s voice grew softer and softer, until even he no longer believed his own words.

“Who was your ancestor?”

“His name was Liuxia Hui, also called Liuxia Ji.”

“Oh, you share the same name?”

“We are both called Ji; it is a generational name. But I am not worthy to be compared to him.”

Meng Di, not widely read, had never heard of Liuxia Hui, but judging from the reverence in Liuxia Ji’s words, the ancestor must have been highly esteemed.

Yet, in a state where even the ruler was a puppet, how much weight could the reputation of an ancient sage carry? Liuxia Ji surely realized this too, which explained his growing lack of confidence.

“Enough. I feel a kinship with you, Lord Liuxia. Since he is your brother, I will try my best to protect him,” Meng Di said, moved by the man’s sincerity.

“Truly? Lord Meng, you would return good for evil—not only sparing him, but guaranteeing his safety?” Liuxia Ji was overjoyed.

“Yes. Why not let him serve as a retainer in my house?”

Liuxia Ji bowed to the ground and thanked him through tears. He was a filial son, and before their father’s death had been charged to care for his brother. But Liuxia Zhi was a constant troublemaker, and impossible to control.

After Zhi became an outlaw in the marshes, Liuxia Ji had even tried to persuade him to return, only to be ridiculed and threatened with death should he ever bother him again.

If his brother could become a retainer under Meng Di, it would finally put his mind at ease. He was a simple, honest man and could only repeat his thanks over and over, making Meng Di both amused and sympathetic.

Meng Di had his reasons for acting thus. The power structure in Lu was intricate and fraught with conflict. To seize opportunity amid such turmoil, one needed not only strength, but also a keen understanding of the shifting landscape and the ability to exploit rivalries among the various factions. As the Marquis’s confidant, Liuxia Ji would surely prove useful in time.